The Her Campus American Editorial Team is excited to bring back our monthly Editor’s Blog! Here, our editorial team discusses some of the things we’re loving at the moment. Happy February, and enjoy!
Ali Follman, Editor-In-Chief
1. Sia, “This is Acting”
Sia’s new album dropped about two weeks ago and ever since I listened to “Cheap Thrills” on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist, I was hooked. Sia’s sound is sometimes too high-pitched and angsty (cc: “Chandelier”), but this album has many songs that are just the right amount of angst for me at the moment. The other songs on the album I’ve been playing on repeat are “Reaper” and “House on Fire.” If you notice, these songs are all in a row on the track list, so that’s about as far as I’ve explored so far, and about all the time I have on my walk from campus to my house, but it’s a start. Her songs definitely make me want to dance and pump me up with the quirky beats and unexpected vocals.
2. French press coffee
Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself that it took me 21 years to purchase a French press coffeemaker. Anything with the word “French” in it should be a good indicator that I would be interested in it. Regardless of my tardiness, most people probably know that French presses make stronger, less Keurig-y coffee. Armed with a half-full bag of my favorite La Colombe grounds, I ordered a French press online and tested it out as soon as it arrived on my front door, right around the day before the snowpocalypse. We’ve been going strong for about a month and I will probably get another bag of my favorite coffee for Valentine’s Day.
Tanvi Purohit, Managing Editor
1. “PILLOWTALK”
If you haven’t heard that Zayn Malik made his solo debut, you may have been under a rock, or in a brief coma. “PILLOWTALK” dropped a few weeks ago, with an accompanying video featuring Zayn’s girlfriend, model Gigi Hadid. It’s a huge departure from the sound we’ve come to associate with Zayn – cookie cutter boyband pop star. The song has clear R&B influence, and why wouldn’t it, when the producers behind it have previously worked with Frank Ocean? As a not-so-closeted One Direction fan, I was nervous about what Zayn’s new sound would be, but “PILLOWTALK” left no doubt in my mind that Zayn has the potential to be one of the biggest stars in music, a la Justin Timberlake. I’ve been blasting this song on repeat, much to the chagrin of my long-suffering roommate, and it never gets old. Check back with me in March, when Zayn’s album drops, and I may or may not have passed out. If you like “PILLOWTALK” check out this Spotify playlist I curated based off the song.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been reading the New York Times’ Modern Love column. This section features weekly essays from readers on the trials and tribulations of love, romance, and relationships. I’m absolutely obsessed with this column, and devour each essay as they come out. The NYT recently launched Modern Love: The Podcasts. It’s a weekly series in which familiar voices – such as those of Jason Alexander, Sarah Paulson, and Judd Apatow – bring some of the most popular Modern Love essays to life. Normally, I’m in staunch opposition to things like books on tape, e-readers, and such, because I’m a big proponent of the more traditional ways of reading. However, the Modern Love podcast brings such a nice, interactive touch to my favorite weekly read. You can listen to the podcasts every Thursday on WBUR.org, NYTimes.com, iTunes, Stitcher, or any podcast app. Check out past essays here.
Shannon Exley, Section Editor
1. Chia Kombucha
This month I decided to try a fad all my roommates have been raving about: chia kombucha drinks. The first one that I tried was a green kombucha, as it was the only one in stock at Whole Foods. After taking my first sip, I was pretty surprised by the fermented taste and didn’t know what to make of it. After finishing the whole bottle in multiple sittings, I got used to the strange taste, and actually started to like the slimy chia mixed with the fermented fruit juice. The next time I went grocery shopping I picked up a raspberry one to try out next. To be honest, I’ve tried a few flavors now and I think that they all taste the same! I’ve definitely tried to incorporate drinking chia kombucha into my daily routine, because I know the seeds are really high in Omega-3, also found in fish oil, and truthfully, I’ve really gotten to like the taste of kombucha and even have started drinking some types that don’t have chia in them. Also I would recommend trying putting chia seeds by themselves into your water bottle if you don’t love the taste of kombucha. It’s just a small way to make your water a little more exciting! (Thanks to our Editor in Chief for teaching me that one!)
2. Sneakers
I’m from southern California, so figuring out what shoes I should wear in the winter has been a bit of a struggle for me. Last winter I had two go-to pairs of boots: one for snow and one pair of fashion boots for everyday use when it wasn’t snowing out. I’ve been pretty reliant on these same two pairs of boots this winter, but I decide to branch out a few days ago and invest in a pair of Vans-style slip on sneakers. I found myself at Nordstrom Rack in Friendship Heights over the weekend and saw all the marked down prices on shoes and decided it would be a good idea to have a pair of casual (and might I add extremely comfortable) shoes that can still keep my feet warm in the winter. I love the shoes I found (which were under $50, thanks to Nordstrom Rack’s awesome prices) and find them perfect for occasions that I don’t necessarily need to be dressed up for. I’m thrilled I’m able to give my fashion boots a rest and prevent them from taking any more weather beatings.
Maggie Miller, Section Editor
1. Hamilton the Musical
If you haven’t discovered this insane, ground-breaking new Broadway musical, you are seriously missing out. After almost every person I know recommended that I listen to the soundtrack, I finally did last week, and have been obsessively listening ever since. The show is specifically centered on hip hop and pop songs, but there’s something for everyone, and it crosses over generational, racial, and cultural boundaries like few other Broadway shows have been able to. Bottom Line: Look the album up on Spotify, and prepare to be addicted.
2. Time Out DC
If you’re looking for stuff to do in the next few weeks, but don’t know where to look, Time Out DC is the one-stop shop for events happening in the D.C. area. The online magazine tracks festivals, concerts, fairs, restaurant reviews, etc. to give readers a full layout of everything happening in D.C. Highly recommended for those who enjoy leaving their dorms/apartments, even in the cold.